First disturbance more than a month before official start of 2024 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonPainting rain barrels for a good cause
A line of strong storms is passing through Southwest Florida on Sunday, bringing strong winds, severe thunderstorms and the potential for tornadoes. FORT MYERS, Fla.- From Naples to Sarasota, a third round of severe weather battered Southwest Florida once again over the weekend. Sarasota and Manatee counties were hit the hardest after a deadly tornado blew through the area, killing two people and leaving homes torn apart. A viewer shared pictures of another tornado ripping through the town of Duette, 50 miles southeast of Tampa. What was once someone’s home, is now a pile of debris after the category EF2 tornado with winds between 111 mph and 135 mph touched down. The strong winds also sent trampolines flying, including one in Port Charlotte that crashed into a power pole. The rain caused problems across the region, with some Cape Coral canals unable to handle the ongoing downpour and ultimately overflowing. The rain also flooded roads on Fort Myers Beach and the Harmony Mobile Home Park in Naples. Wind speeds topped 80 mph in Naples. The speeds were strong enough to damage Judge Judy’s plane at Naples Municipal Airport and to uproot trees across areas of Collier County including Golden Gate City and Golden Gate Estates. The storm also knocked out power to hundreds of customers on Sanibel Island.